Honesty from other foodies

[AliceandAriel]

Ive been reading up and down thousands of food reviews from Disney. Why? Because the hubs and I are complete foodies and with this being our first trip to Disney (and only one for a few years) I want us and our kids to have a great dining experience.
Problem I am having is that I am unsure of what expect from the food. We visit Las Vegas frequently for the food alone, and so I'm not sure if I should expect Disney to be in the same caliber.

We will be doing a few signatures, so should I expect them to be on the same level? How about the park cuisine? Is it on par with traditional amusement park food, better, worse?

All the QS/CS spots in the parks and resorts are traditional amusement park food, some places a little worse, some a little better. It really does depend on your tastes and palate. A prime example would be Casey's- I'm not a fan of their buns, and the hot dogs alone are pretty crummy compared to the ones to buy and cook at home, but I don't mind eating it while there because the toppings, and because it's your typical amusement park food. I actually enjoy their food more than the food from my local park, Dorney Park.

We've only done one restaurant we call a 'signature', which was Cinderella's Royal Table, and the food to us was outstanding compared to the QS/CS food. Not 5 stars like the food in Vegas, but great for park and the price wasn't that bad.

Also dined at Rose and Crown, and found their fish market fish of the day (salmon at the time) to be prepared and showcased well, plus the taste was fanatic. It was no Todd English's Olives in Vegas, but again, very good food for parks.

I have yet to eat at a place that compares, or even shades, the experience and food I had at Olives in Vegas. Although I keep hearing about Artist Point...

 

[stephyamber]

Since I go to both Las Vegas and WDW frequently, I can offer some comparisons. V&A is similar to Picasso, Le Cirque, Roubichon. I actually think that V&A offers a better deal for the same level of food and service, although I don't like it as well as I like many of the 5 star dining places in Las Vegas. It's still a great experience for the price. The signatures at WDW, excluding those at the Swan/Dolphin which I find to be a better experience, are not as good as this level in Las Vegas. Not even close. These I would put in the same category as Mesa Grill at Caesars, B&B at Venetian, Aureole at Mandalay Bay. Disney's signatures (I've dined at all many times) are more inconsistent, have limited menus and most of all, lack ambience. Tables are going to be tight and noise levels are going to be higher. Example: At Flying Fish, you will probably be able to listen to the conversations at the tables around you which are very close. If you want a steakhouse experience similar to Las Vegas, your only chance is Shulas (I skip steak at WDW). I can still enjoy the signatures at WDW but I don't put them on the same level as Las Vegas. The casual dining is different because the target audience is different. Las Vegas is a food destination and WDW is a theme park destination. Example: Via Napoli is not nearly as good as Otto Enoteca for a pizzeria. Le Chefs de France isn't as good as Mon Ami. However, I think that WDW has above average casual dining for theme park fare. While I think some (Sanaa comes to mind) are very good, most are decent for the adult options. The kids' menus are more limited. I can have a better meal in Las Vegas but I can't go on safari after breakfast or ride a magic carpet before lunch, so there's a trade off!!! For myself, I don't expect counter service meals to be haute cuisine. So I think that WDW offers some decent choices. Example: Tangierine Cafe in Epcot is as good as many of the table services. BOG offers some variety from the standard fare. You don't have to be stuck with dry hamburgers or hot dogs. Enjoy your visit and I hope you find some great experiences.

Thank You for the comparisons! This very helpful considering I've dined at many of those places. I think I will aim to find places with more of an ambiance factor for the kids and maybe only book one or two meals that might fit our tastes. V&A is sadly out since our DS is still too young for the sitter service. Next trip it will definitely be on our radar!

 

[stephyamber]

All the QS/CS spots in the parks and resorts are traditional amusement park food, some places a little worse, some a little better. It really does depend on your tastes and palate. A prime example would be Casey's- I'm not a fan of their buns, and the hot dogs alone are pretty crummy compared to the ones to buy and cook at home, but I don't mind eating it while there because the toppings, and because it's your typical amusement park food. I actually enjoy their food more than the food from my local park, Dorney Park. We've only done one restaurant we call a 'signature', which was Cinderella's Royal Table, and the food to us was outstanding compared to the QS/CS food. Not 5 stars like the food in Vegas, but great for park and the price wasn't that bad. Also dined at Rose and Crown, and found their fish market fish of the day (salmon at the time) to be prepared and showcased well, plus the taste was fanatic. It was no Todd English's Olives in Vegas, but again, very good food for parks. I have yet to eat at a place that compares, or even shades, the experience and food I had at Olives in Vegas. Although I keep hearing about Artist Point...

I loved Olives when we dined there! I thought about making an ADR for BlueZoo but haven't read much positive feedback. Plus I'm not sure if it would be a little too fancy with the kids, even though I did see they have a kids menu.

 

[psac]

I loved Olives when we dined there! I thought about making an ADR for BlueZoo but haven't read much positive feedback. Plus I'm not sure if it would be a little too fancy with the kids, even though I did see they have a kids menu.

We had the opposite experience, we hated Olives in Vegas -- my wife's scallops were the worse we've ever had, and the server was one of the worse we've ever experienced. He had that "you're not good enough for this place" attitude. Yes, thank you, I'll take my money elsewhere then.

That made us NOT try Bluezoo for a VERY long time. Something which we now kick ourselves for, because it REALLY is a good place. Food is excellent, and service is decent. (Servers there seem over-worked*, but at least friendly.) In terms of the kids, it's Disney World. EVERY place except V&A will have kids, so I wouldn't be overly concerned about that. One time at Flying Fish, we saw a toddler eating in a high chair with half his meal left on the floor. After they got up, it was like a SWAT team rushed in and cleaned everything perfectly clean in about 2 minutes. Quite impressive.

*One critique we have about all the signatures (compared to the nice places in Manhattan we go to) is the lack of "bus boys." Generally the waiters themselves are the ones bussing the tables, refilling the water, etc. This leaves them often over-worked and running around like crazy, overall lowering the quality of service in most places. That would be one of the first things I would change "if I were in charge."

In terms of specifics, Yachtsmen's Steakhouse has been a recent favorite of ours. They got a new Executive Chef a year or two ago, and he's raised the level considerably. He was a sous chef at California Grill, and since the change, we saw Cali Grill get a lot worse, and have been very happy with our YS meals. The roasted bone marrow side that comes with the rib eye is an example of something that is NOT typical Disney.

We've had some (5 or 6) great meals at Flying Fish, but our last one was not good. Not good at all. Same with Brown Derby -- two great meals, followed by the worse dining experience at WDW we've ever had.

At Citricos and Narcoossee's, we've had some really good meals, and some so-so ones.

Kona Cafe has NEVER dissappointed for a very good casual meal. Highly recoomend.

Many of the character buffets are good for breakfasts (Crystal Palace, 1900 Park Fare, Tusker House, Chef Mickey's); but with the exception of Boma, I would stay away from the buffets at dinner.

Many of the table service places in the parks are great for lunch. Sci-fi (great burgers), Yak & Yeti, Liberty Tree Tavern, a lot of the Epcot restaurants, etc., will be worth the extra charge over the quick service places if you don't mind spending an hour sitting down for lunch.

In general, we are happy with the dining at WDW. We always have more good meals than bad on each trip. However, the overall moral of the story comes back to inconsistency. It's a big theme with the dining. It sounds like you have a great attitude about it though, and I think you'll like it.

(ps -- To be off-topic, for the person who tries one Manhattan restaurant a year, look at Restaurant Marc Forgione or American Cut (Marc F's new steakhouse). Both of his places are amazing.)

 

[princessallegra]

My husband and I are big time foodies on a limited budget. We live an hour from NYC and try one Restaurant in the city each year. This year we went to Marea which was better than any restaurant we went to in Disney. We have been to vegas several times but not in the last 5 years and a few of the Disney restaurant are on the same level but none of the Buffets. I have been to some amazing Buffets in Vegas (paris is my favorite) Disney is no where near that good but can be a lot of fun. At Disney sometime it is more about the experience then the food. We found Califoria Grill, Flying Fish, Artist Point,Narcoossee all extremely good. We had been to Samba at Mirage and loved the meats they brought around, Ohana the closest type of meal was a disappointment. Our last trip we had a signature restaurant every night and an early lunch every day. To our surprise the 3 favorite meals were all lunches. We could not stop talking about the Antipasto for 2 at tutto italia for lunch. We also loved our lunch at Raglan Road . The 3rd was a lunch at Grand Floridian Cafe. We had the lobster on a burger and it was better then we had hoped. Our favorite Signature our last trip was California grill. I think our favorite were all meals we did not have super high expectations for. I do not know if you are on the Disney Dining plan or not. If you are not you might want to try a restaurant at the swan and dolphin. They are not on the Dining plan but are a little better. One other tip we have found is if you go to yachtsman their bigs steaks are not prime meat. They have a smaller prime steak that is so good. It is the only one that compared to a fine steak house. Disney has plenty of great options for foodies have a wonderful trip.

Marea is ahhhhhmazing!

Love this thread. We find most of the one credit restaurants at disney on par with most chain restaurants. Some slightly better than let's say, applebees or Friday's which microwave most things. We tend to do mainly signature dinners. We find them overall consistent in that we can both find a nice fish or filet and salad. We also like the first sitting at a few of the breakfast buffets. Victoria and Alberts is a must do. Absolutely awesome. And I've read nothing but great things about Il Mulino, Blue Zoo, and Shulas.


So, we like:
Flying Fish and Citricos best. Also like artist point, narcoossees is ok. Haven't been to cali grill since the refurb but we always had great food and service there. Jiko is great but not our personal fave cuisine wise. Yachtsman was just ok. Service was bizarre and food was good but not great.

Love first sitting at crystal Palace breakfast and akershus is yummy but gets insane almost immediately. We try to get in first so we can hit the buffet before it gets cray. Boma breakfast was also yummy.

Regular TS we have always done well at tutto italia which I know is hit or miss on here. We get the cold antipasto for 2 as an app, sooo yummy. Definitely not even close to foodie level but we love Biergarten lol. Coral Reef is hit or miss but we have had good meals there. Believe it or not Maya Grill at coronado was good fresh Mexican food. The Wave at Contemporary has been hit or miss for us but the good times we enjoyed. The other times food waa just ok.

 

[princessallegra]

We had the opposite experience, we hated Olives in Vegas -- my wife's scallops were the worse we've ever had, and the server was one of the worse we've ever experienced. He had that "you're not good enough for this place" attitude. Yes, thank you, I'll take my money elsewhere then.

That made us NOT try Bluezoo for a VERY long time. Something which we now kick ourselves for, because it REALLY is a good place. Food is excellent, and service is decent. (Servers there seem over-worked*, but at least friendly.) In terms of the kids, it's Disney World. EVERY place except V&A will have kids, so I wouldn't be overly concerned about that. One time at Flying Fish, we saw a toddler eating in a high chair with half his meal left on the floor. After they got up, it was like a SWAT team rushed in and cleaned everything perfectly clean in about 2 minutes. Quite impressive.

*One critique we have about all the signatures (compared to the nice places in Manhattan we go to) is the lack of "bus boys." Generally the waiters themselves are the ones bussing the tables, refilling the water, etc. This leaves them often over-worked and running around like crazy, overall lowering the quality of service in most places. That would be one of the first things I would change "if I were in charge."

In terms of specifics, Yachtsmen's Steakhouse has been a recent favorite of ours. They got a new Executive Chef a year or two ago, and he's raised the level considerably. He was a sous chef at California Grill, and since the change, we saw Cali Grill get a lot worse, and have been very happy with our YS meals. The roasted bone marrow side that comes with the rib eye is an example of something that is NOT typical Disney.

We've had some (5 or 6) great meals at Flying Fish, but our last one was not good. Not good at all. Same with Brown Derby -- two great meals, followed by the worse dining experience at WDW we've ever had.

At Citricos and Narcoossee's, we've had some really good meals, and some so-so ones.

Kona Cafe has NEVER dissappointed for a very good casual meal. Highly recoomend.

Many of the character buffets are good for breakfasts (Crystal Palace, 1900 Park Fare, Tusker House, Chef Mickey's); but with the exception of Boma, I would stay away from the buffets at dinner.

Many of the table service places in the parks are great for lunch. Sci-fi (great burgers), Yak & Yeti, Liberty Tree Tavern, a lot of the Epcot restaurants, etc., will be worth the extra charge over the quick service places if you don't mind spending an hour sitting down for lunch.

In general, we are happy with the dining at WDW. We always have more good meals than bad on each trip. However, the overall moral of the story comes back to inconsistency. It's a big theme with the dining. It sounds like you have a great attitude about it though, and I think you'll like it.

(ps -- To be off-topic, for the person who tries one Manhattan restaurant a year, look at Restaurant Marc Forgione or American Cut (Marc F's new steakhouse). Both of his places are amazing.)

Great reply!

 

[The Saints]

We have been to WDW many times and always enjoy the quality at CA Grill and Le Cellier but for sheer quality X quantity (and for only 1 Table Service) the Ohana is hard to beat!

Enjoy your stay and don't forget to re-post your conclusions after you've been!

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

We really didn't care for any of the buffets we've had at Disney. We did enjoy 'Ohana (which seems to be hit or miss for folks). Thought Yachtsman was just ok. Steaks weren't that great (but weren't awful by any means) and the rest of the food and atmosphere was sort of blah. We would not eat there again. Actually enjoyed Teppan Edo better than our hometown teppanyaki restaurants but it certainly isn't a "signature" experience. Mama Melrose was better than expected but probably comparable to Olive Garden.

As someone else stated, you are probably better booking for the atmosphere than the food. For example, we thought Be Our Guest had decent food for dinner (if a very limited menu) but the atmosphere (we were in the rose room) was amazing and not something you can experience elsewhere. Hope to try Narcoosee and Jiko our next trip.

 

[quest4dl]

If you visited Disney parks in the 70s or 80s, the food has come such a long way from being inedible to some great fine dining choices. In fact, compare it to Universal and the choices still outshine. I live near Chicago where there are many fine dining choices so I have found Las Vegas restaurants to be over-priced and over-rated. I was not overly impressed with Olives. Food will always be an important part of my vacation experience and our last two visits to Disney we were very pleasantly surprised by the quality and variety. Even some of the buffets - such as Crystal Palace - offer unusual salads and condiments (such as pesto and chimchurri sauce) on their meats and fishes. And now that we've all tempered your expectations, I'm sure you will have some very enjoyable food experiences at Disney!

 

[psac]

Great reply!

Thanks

To again be off-topic but in the foodie veign, for the chicago person, I go there all the time for work, and Sunda is still my fave. Finally tried The Girl and The Goat on my last trip, and that did live up to its reputation as well.

 

[TDC Nala]

Based on what you are probably used to in Vegas:

Victoria & Albert's can equal some of the fine dining there and you can expect an adult atmosphere - children under 10 are not allowed in there. (Exception for guests who book the Chefs Table or who book the entire Queen Victoria Room, so you might see kids but it's not likely)

Signature restaurants can have SOME interesting items and high-end selections, but not anything like what you would be used to in high-end Vegas restaurants. Do not expect an adult atmosphere.

I agree that the Swan and Dolphin have a better selection and better food for the most part. Probably because they don't have the prepaid dining plans to worry about. It's a convention center. You may find lots of adult conventioners.

There are a few of the "casual" restaurants that I think are very good and maybe on a par with casual in Vegas. Most of them are pedestrian. Forget about the food at character meals. If you're going to one of those, it should be for the characters.

Counter service, best to shop around before you get there. You will find some interesting options that mean you do not have to eat burgers or chicken nuggets, but you have to go looking for them. Most of the time there is not a great deal of variety on kids' meals though.

 

[sotoalf]

If you visited Disney parks in the 70s or 80s, the food has come such a long way from being inedible to some great fine dining choices. In fact, compare it to Universal and the choices still outshine.

I'm not asking anyone to settle for mediocrity, but I cannot stress enough how far WDW food has come in the last 15-20 years. The best dining experiences the parks and resorts offered in the '70s and '80s were at best okay and often awful. Credit our own palates, which have become more sophisticated.

Also, don't overlook the option of vegetarian and healthy options at the parks. Before the early nineties the foods consisted of all manner of hot dogs and fried horrors. Forget finding so much as an apple anywhere.

 

[fairy8i8]

I think of Disney food more like your standard cruise food. You can occasionally find something decently good at the buffet and in the main dining room at night, but nothing to knock your socks off. Signatures would be more like the fee restaurants on a cruise ship, maybe a little bit better. Remember to ask your server for recommendations. It's like expecting the escargot to be divine on Royal Caribbean. It's not. They're making it for 1000 people.

Go for the atmosphere. Go to have fun and to try some dishes you have read about and want to try so that you can form your own opinions. If you balk at spending $40 for an entree and service that isn't going to be wonderful and it would ruin your whole vacation, then I would be wary. However, if it's more an exploration and discovery trip - some good, some maybe not so good - then have fun. Even a bad waiter in Vegas can ruin an experience. It happens.

I plan my trips around where I will eat. People have critiqued my plans as having too much time in sit down restaurants. However, I enjoy dining just as much as theme park rides, often more so. Come in with no expectations, and you might find something that keeps you dreaming of Disney at night. Expectations can make or break a meal. My BIL raved about the Italian restaurant on our last cruise. He said it was the best Italian he has ever had. Better than Boston's North End, NYC. And Italian is his favorite food. Yeah. We all decided to go. My risotto was crunchy, as in not fully cooked. DH had no sauce on his scampi while his sister had scampi soup. I had better food in the main dining room without the $20 surcharge. Sometimes I think that is why chains do well in so many areas of the country- it's mediocre food, but it will always be mediocre because it's prepackaged and hard for a chef to mess up.

 

[Mainemama]

I'm not asking anyone to settle for mediocrity, but I cannot stress enough how far WDW food has come in the last 15-20 years. The best dining experiences the parks and resorts offered in the '70s and '80s were at best okay and often awful. Credit our own palates, which have become more sophisticated.

Also, don't overlook the option of vegetarian and healthy options at the parks. Before the early nineties the foods consisted of all manner of hot dogs and fried horrors. Forget finding so much as an apple anywhere.

True story...
I became a vegetarian for 10 years directly after a trip to DL as a child! We travelled with young kids and found Disney does a good job of feeding parents and children at the standard TS restaurants. We did not try any signatures. Kona for breakfast is great, and like a pp, we had the best, most surprising meal of our trip at Grand Floridian Cafe for lunch. Le Cellier was a disappointment in '13. Snacks through the world is also a great meal!

 

[stephyamber]

So much great information!

I too am worried about taking too much time to eat at TS meals. Although I also feel it'll be worth it to escape the heat and hustle for a bit.I also feel like I am being teased with all this great sounding food that might not be any better than banquet food. Alas, it has proven to be hard making signature cuts off of our dining list.

Also, Jiko's menu has changed in the last few days. No more Steak with the Mac? Or am I crazy?

 

[quest4dl]

We would have our TS restaurants for lunch for a midday break. Dinners tend to interfere with night time entertainment such as parades. And I wouldn't relegate the TS restaurants to banquet hall level food. The main reason we are minimizing ADRs and TS restaurants this trip is due to the new 24 hr cancellation policy. Sometimes you don't feel like a big meal, or your kids may not be up for a TS restaurant, or you decide to switch parks - I feel the new policy makes ADRs too restrictive.

 

[TDC Nala]

The mac and cheese with the Jiko filet has been gone from the menu for a couple of years now, not in the past couple of days. But you can still ask for a side of it.

 

[lucyem]

The main issue with dining at Disney is inconsistency. There are definitely 'foodie' level experiences to be had but that requires a bit of luck.

This. It is all about the inconsistency. You are in an amusement park and you are dealing with a certain amount of "one time visitor" mentality where They do not have to provide the same quality every time. Its not like that have to keep you coming back.

We have had some fabulous meals at Via Napoli. Right up there with Pepe's in New Haven CT for pizza. Last trip it was disgusting. People rave about Jiko and yet it was the hardest steak I have had in my life, and the side was cold in the middle. We had a beyond amazing breakfast one morning at LTT, it was offering breakfast for a short time while CP was refurbished, and yet I read some horrible reviews about it here.

We are at the point where we make maybe one or two ADR's now. Usually based on if the overall reviews seem to be on an upswing. Otherwise we are happy to stick with CS or off property meals.

 

[emilyindisney]

Aside from the inconsistency which has already been mentioned (which is a fantastic point!), I think it's important to keep in mind that Disney does more of an 'experience' than good food. Notice that a great deal of their restaurants are heavily themed, or character meals.

For example- we went to Sci-Fi on our last trip. The ambiance and themeing was a lot of fun but the food was very blah.

Another example- People aren't flocking to BoG for the food. Everyone wants to eat in the Beast's castle and see it snow out the window. The theme and the setting are gorgeous and just like the movie. I thought the food was good, but I've heard otherwise since I visited.

 

[stephyamber]

The mac and cheese with the Jiko filet has been gone from the menu for a couple of years now, not in the past couple of days. But you can still ask for a side of it.

Wow, I've been reading so many menus and food blogs I guess I got REALLY mixed up on that one!